1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surgical clips and clamps, and clinches adapted for use with sutures.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the surgical environment, clips and clamps have been used for removably holding two objects in close proximity. These objects may include tissue, vessels or other surgical devices such as sutures. Clips and clamps may be of the variety disclosed and claimed by Applicant in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/040,655, filed Mar. 10, 1997, and entitled “Surgical Clips and Clamps”. Suture clinches of the past are well represented by Applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/082,495, filed May 21, 1995, and entitled “Suture Clinch”. Both of these applications are incorporated herein by reference. In the latter application, a metal clinch is disclosed to be stamped from a sheet of metal and pre-formed to operate with an associated clinch applier. The two free ends of a suture are disposed within the clinch, which is then slid down the suture ends and crimped to bind the suture ends in a fixed relationship. As used herein, the word “clip” refers not only to clips, but also to clamps, clinches, and other surgical devices adapted for use in the foregoing methods.
In the case of the metallic clinches of the past, the metal-to-suture interface tends to provide a coefficient of friction that initially is too high to facilitate the sliding step of the process, and ultimately is too low to lock the suture ends in a fixed relationship.